


this is the last time, i won't hurt you anymore

by fireandfolds



Series: chronological order, baby [7]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Cheek Kisses, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Forehead Kisses, Hugs, I just wanted THEM TO HUG OKAY, Platonic Cuddling, Sharing a Bed, Talking, a re-write or fix-it fic, as far as luvers is concerned, i was just really angry at how 0518 ended and needed to write something, idk i can't write angst, kinda angsty?, lots of talking, luvers is the superior ship name i said what i said, please they're so soft for each other in my fic it's gonna make you throw up, rebuilding relationships like adults, sorta - Freeform, the finale was absolute shit so here's a complete fix-it, the missing link ending but not as shit, whatever you wanna call it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-15
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:21:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24205099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fireandfolds/pseuds/fireandfolds
Summary: “You were right. This whole time I became a villain. And, I’m not looking for forgiveness, I know what I said and I know what I did, but I am—” Lena’s voice broke on the last word, as she tried to rein in her feelings. “—I am really hoping that you will believe me right now. Lex is working with Leviathan, and they are going to use Obsidian to do something terrible. Using the system that I made with my project. I didn’t know I was helping them, but I did, and now I want to help stop them. So, please, I want to help stop Lex and Leviathan.”orA rewrite of the last scene in Supergirl 0518, and the entire episode of 0519. Because I hated it.title from "the last time" by taylor swift.
Relationships: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor
Series: chronological order, baby [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2022043
Comments: 34
Kudos: 357





	1. you find yourself at my door, just like all those times before

**Author's Note:**

  * For [heateqq](https://archiveofourown.org/users/heateqq/gifts).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> fix-it fic for the last scene from 0518. y'know, making them actually talk like healthy adults.  
> chapter title from "the last time" by taylor swift.

———

Kara sighed, as she put down her Nth-metal reinforced Rubix cube that Winn had given her. The engineering whiz had gifted it to her shortly after the Crisis was prevented. 

_“I figured you need some kind of stress and fidget toy. You can’t be punching blocks of concrete all the time.”_

She didn’t even bother checking who it was at the door. Today had been shit, and she wanted nothing more than to curl up in bed. Walking over to the door, Kara was fully prepared to roll her eyes at Alex, or even worse, _William_. 

Instead, she found Lena on the other side of the door.

Immediately, Kara felt her walls go up. _What was Lena doing here?_ Just like she always was around the Luthor woman, the reporter was at a loss for words. Walking away from the door (and Lena), she didn’t stop the other woman from entering the apartment and closing the door behind her. 

She leaned on a chair, still in shock over seeing her ex-best friend at her door. Lena took the opportunity to start talking, while Kara scrutinised the brunette, and her heart strings were pulled taut. 

Although Lena didn’t look physically hurt, Kara could hear the tightness in her voice, could see the red-rimmed eyes and fidgeting hands. She bit back a small smile, as she remembered the times Lena would play with her fingers incessantly on the old Earth, when she was nervous or preoccupied or stressed (or all of the above). The only way she could get Lena to stop was to take one of the CEO’s hands in her own. 

From that point on, whenever she heard Lena’s heart spiking in rate (or otherwise acting weird), she made sure the other woman knew she was safe with her.

More than ever, Kara regretted the things she had said to Lena these past few weeks. First, calling her a villain and putting her on the same level as Lex. Then, going back on her word and claiming Lena was trespassing in the fortress. Lena was right, she had jumped to conclusions, blaming a Luthor. And not to mention, she had ranted to Alex and called Lena a _hypocrite,_ when she was the biggest of them all. 

Kara could hear her university psychology professor in her head, lecturing about Freudian defence mechanisms. She didn’t agree with a majority of Freud’s theory, but she knew she had a bad habit of projecting her negative aspects onto others; lately, her target had been Lena.

“I have made a terrible mistake.” 

Kara remained stony-faced, but she could feel her walls starting to come down. Out of all the people who should be apologising, Lena wasn’t even in the top ten. In Kara’s anger and fear, she had failed to see what things would be like in other woman’s perspective. A life of betrayal, hurt, abuse, and pain had shaped Lena into a pragmatic, distrustful, independent woman. She had let Kara in, allowed her to patch up the cracks of her shattered heart with donuts and warm hugs, only to find that Kara Danvers—no, Kara _Zor-El_ Danvers, was _exactly_ like all the rest. 

Lena only ever wanted to do good. Lena, who was desperate to get out from under the dark stain her family had left on history. Lena, who flinched when Kara opened her office door too quickly or shouted excitedly too loudly, who retreated when she was afraid of a negative reaction, who was scared to touch others and show affection and rely on anyone but herself. Lena, who had a hard time being vulnerable with _anyone,_ even Kara. Lena, who was standing in Kara’s apartment, looking like she was about to break down at any moment.

“I was hurt, I was so hurt, and I thought I could get rid of the hurt. I thought that I knew better, that I could make the world a better place, but I was wrong.”

Kara _really_ wanted to hug her, but also knew that this was an important moment for Lena. If there was one thing she had learned over the years of their friendship, it was once Lena Kieran Luthor got going, one should never interrupt, unless they wanted to eat kale the next day. So, she stayed where she was.

“That hurt, and took me down a dark, dark path, where I was blind to what I was really doing. To what I had become.” 

Kara could feel her cold demeanor warming up, her body posture opening up. She was wary of the other woman, but she knew better than anyone what it was like to have a second chance. Lena had risked a lot to come here, and she was not going to let that be in vain.

“You were right. This whole time I became a villain. And, I’m not looking for forgiveness, I know what I said and I know what I did, but I am—” Lena’s voice broke on the last word, as she tried to rein in her feelings. “—I am really hoping that you will believe me right now. Lex is working with Leviathan, and they are going to use Obsidian to do something terrible. Using the system that I made with my project. I didn’t know I was helping them, but I did, and now I want to help stop them. So, please, I want to help stop Lex and Leviathan.”

Kara looked away as tears pricked her eyes. She could hear in Lena’s voice and her heart that she was telling the truth, that she was sincere. As much as she wanted to hug the other woman and never let her go, the memory of Lena’s cold, unblinking face on the night of the Pulitzer party still haunted her—but she was _so tired._ All she wanted was her friend back.

So, taking a deep breath, she took the first step toward repairing their tenuous relationship: pulling out a chair, she motioned for Lena to come closer. “Sit down.”

As Lena tearily gave a small smile and moved to the offered seat, Kara moved to the kitchen, pouring out two glasses of water at human speed. She handed one to the younger woman as she took the seat across from her. 

Slipping off her glasses gently, Kara smiled slightly at the slight upwards jerk of Lena’s eyebrow. This was the first time she was in both her regular clothes _and_ with no glasses. She handed the frames over to the brunette, while taking a big breath.

“Those glasses aren’t just a disguise, you know.”

Lena sniffed as she wiped away her tears. “Really?” She looked closer at the glasses she was handed. “These frames do seem a little too heavy to just be regular glasses.”

The blonde nodded. “Yeah, they’re lined with lead. When I first landed here, I really struggled with my powers. Because I didn’t grow up here, I didn’t have the luxury of slowly gaining my powers. They were just...full force, _wham,_ right when I got here. Out of all of them, my strength was the hardest to deal with, but my super hearing and heat vision were a close second. So, Jeremiah crafted me a pair of glasses reinforced with Nth metal and lead, to help suppress my powers. Be more human. It’s all I ever did, for twenty-five years. Hide my powers, act normal.”

Kara broke off with a wry chuckle, shaking her head. “Funny thing is, even with the glasses on, everyone who knows about the Supergirl thing doesn’t treat me like a normal person. It’s like I’m always Supergirl, whether I’m in the suit or not.” 

She looks up at the woman sitting across from her. “It’s one of the reasons why I didn’t want to tell you. You...made Kara _Danvers_ feel special, just by being normal and human. And when I wanted to leave the human part of me behind, it was you who brought me back. And...I dunno, I just never felt that from anyone, not even Alex. I was afraid that once I told you, you wouldn’t treat me the same way.”

They both chuckled at that. “I realise now that it was probably silly to think you’d treat me any different, but there’s a few other things too. Back in my early days of Supergirl, I was careless about my identity, and it put Alex in danger. Do you remember that one phone call we had, when you were asking for advice about something, and I had to brush you off?”

“Yeah, I remember thinking it was weird. I even asked if you were okay, and you said you’d call me back.”

“That night, Alex was kidnapped by someone who knew my identity. He threatened to kill her, unless a criminal was released. When you called me, Alex was trapped in a tank slowly filling with water, and we had hit a wall. I still feel really bad for brushing you off, though, sorry about that.”

Lena smiled for a short second, before it was hidden under the CEO mask again. “I understand. It turned out fine in the end, anyway.”

“Yeah, well, that event scared me from telling people about my identity. I didn’t want to see anyone get hurt, but especially not someone as important to me as you.”

“I understand that, Kara, really I do. But you know what my family was like. You know what they _are_ like. Did you seriously have to keep it from me this long?”

Kara stood up, moving around the table to sit next to Lena. “Actually...if I were given a chance to rewrite what happened, I would do the exact same thing. A couple of months ago, I was visited by a fifth-dimensional creature who offered to change the past. We went through so many different scenarios, and each of them ended terribly. In the first time we chose, I told you I was Supergirl right before Mercy attacked L-Corp.”

“Oh? And what did I do?”

“You went to Metropolis, to Sam. I don’t blame you. Didn’t blame you? Whatever. Anyway, when Agent Liberty poisoned the atmosphere with kryptonite, you weren’t able to save me in time. So, I died.”

Lena is silent, so Kara forged on. “I thought maybe, the kryptonite debate was the problem. So, I went back earlier. At the DEO, when you and I were talking about it. You were rightfully angry, because you had just found out that Sam was Reign. You refused to work with me, because you couldn’t trust me. Then, I forgot about the eclipse, so right after I told you, I collapsed. We did not end up stopping Reign in Juru. We all died, instead.”

Kara pinched her nose. “So that didn’t work. But what if I go all the way back to the beginning of our friendship? What if I tell you right away? So I did, I went all the way back, even before we were friends. I told you from the get-go, and it was great. Our friendship was strong, we were busting crime left and right, the best partners and allies.”

“So why aren’t we in that reality now?”

“It was all well and dandy, until Ben Lockwood kidnapped you, demanding to know my identity. So, I went public with my secret in order to save you.”

“That only sounds as bad as what our lives were like before the antimatter crisis.”

“They targeted all of my friends, even Cat, and killed them all. Including you.”

“Oh.”

Kara drew in a deep breath. “That’s my worst fear. Losing everyone I love, again. I’ve already done it twice. So, in desperation, I thought, what if we don’t meet at all?”

“It was a disaster. When you came to National City to take over L-Corp, Lex tried to have you assassinated. He failed, but you were left horribly injured. Lillian kidnapped you and experimented on your body, replaced your heart with a chunk of kryptonite. You became this horrible, twisted dictator...with good intentions, but in the end, National City is mostly gone, and never the same.”

They both sat in silence, mulling over what Kara had said.

“So…”

“So I wouldn’t change when I told you...but, yes. This is where I say I’m sorry. I really messed up. I treated you like Lex, even though I knew his tactics of manipulation. I called you a hypocrite, even though I’m the biggest one. I couldn’t believe you asked _me_ for forgiveness, when _I_ should be asking it of you. You don’t know how much I regret what I said. I know you’ve been let down, but please, give me a second chance.”

Lena eyed the blonde carefully, before she took her hand. “We’re going to need to talk about this. A lot. But I want us to get past this. I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of fighting, of not talking to you. I miss you Kara, a lot more than I thought I would.”

“Oh, you have _no idea_ how much I missed you.” Letting go of the brunette’s hand, she stood up and walked away from the table where the other woman was sitting. “Let’s start over.”

As she stuck out her hand, Kara continued. “Hi, my name is Kara Zor-El Danvers. I am Supergirl. But more importantly, I am a reporter and part-time copy editor at Catco Worldwide Media. I’m also a lover of cute dogs, good doughnuts, cosy nights in, musicals, and cheesy rom-coms.”

Lena slowly stood, taking Kara’s hand in hers. “Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Danvers. I’m Lena Luthor. Catco, you say? That’s a publication not known for it’s hard-hitting journalism. More like high-waisted jeans, yes or no?”

They stood in silence for a couple seconds, until laughter bubbled out of their throats and they both started cackling. This release of tension brought along mingled tears of pain and joy.

Kara wrapped her arms around the shorter woman as both of them finally succumbed to the tears building up behind their eyes. This felt like turning over a new leaf. 

After a few long moments, she could hear Lena groaning under her breath in pain, from standing up so long. 

“Permission to pick you up, Ms. Luthor?”

“You may, Ms. Danvers.”

Slowly, Kara slid her arms around Lena’s legs and back, picking her up with a bridal carry before walking over to the couch. Straightening back up before the brunette, she frowned down at what the CEO was wearing.

“Hmmmm yeah no, we’re gonna be talking _a lot_ and those are not the correct clothes for a talk sesh.”

“Are they now?” Although her eyes were puffy and red, and her voice was slightly nasally, Lena’s smirk and eyebrow raise were back, and it felt like a normal Friday night.

“Yep! Be right back.” In literally two seconds, Kara zipped to her room and returned with a pair of grey sweatpants and a navy blue crewneck sweater in her hands, wearing a black pair of L-Corp sweatpants and a white Sylvan Esso sweatshirt. 

“Bathroom’s in the same place.”

Lena nodded with a small chuckle, took the clothes from Kara’s outstretched hands, and headed to the bathroom to change.

———

As Lena flicked the switch on and stood in front of the mirror, she let out a shaky breath. After the yelling she had just endured from Lex, she had been scared that Kara would react the same. She slowly stripped off her day clothes, changing into the soft ones that the blonde had given her. 

Lena folded her clothes carefully and neatly, and splashed some cold water on her face, before she stood before the bathroom door, hand on the doorknob. The rational, logical part of her brain knew that Kara would never blow up in her face like Lex did. But a tiny, irrational voice, the voice that had grown with her, told her that this was all a trap, that Kara was only drawing her close to get her soft and _then_ attack. 

Gathering her strength, Lena re-entered the apartment’s common area to find Kara at the stove, stirring a pot of...something. Making a quick detour to deposit her clothes on the dining table, the raven-haired woman stepped into the warm kitchen space. 

“What are you making?”

“Hot chocolate. Best drink for this kinda stuff. It’s almost done, go grab a seat. I’ll bring it on over.”

By the time Lena had situated herself on the couch, Kara was over with two steaming mugs. Setting them down on the coffee table, she handed a throw pillow to the younger woman before grabbing one for herself and sitting on the other end of the couch, back on the armrest. 

As she watched Kara cross her legs and hug the pillow in front of her, Lena raised an eyebrow bemusedly. What in hell was going on?

The reporter caught on to Lena’s confusion, and was quick to explain. “Whenever Alex and I would have tough talks, we would hug pillows and sit on opposite sides of the couch, so that we didn’t do something stupid like punch each other.”

“I see, that makes sense. I do hope you’re not too scared of me being here, I’m not looking to kill you or anything.”

“I’m not scared at all, you’re nothing but good to the core. But thanks anyway for the reassurance, dying isn’t fun.”

“You say that like you’ve died before.” Lena chuckled as she shook her head. “I know you had some close calls, but there is no way you died without me knowing it.” Leaning over to the coffee table, the CEO took a sip of the drink and hummed appreciatively. “Wow, this is actually really good.”

She smiled up at Kara, catching the tail end of her wince. Lena’s mind kicked into panic mode, scaring her. 

“Was it something I said?”

“Weeellll actually, I died in Midvale—”

“I’m sorry, you _what?”_ Lena couldn’t believe her ears. “Say again?”

“I died. In Midvale. In front of Alex and Eliza.”

“Kara Zor-El Danvers, if you don’t tell me about what happened right now…”

“Riiight. I wasn’t able to tell you about that. So you know the whole Red Daughter, wiping Alex’s memory business?”

“Yes—oh. Kara, I’m so sorry, your sister—” Memories of Supergirl looking withdrawn and morose during that time came to the forefront of her head. Small snippets of past events flashed in her mind, as tiny pieces started clicking together.

“Don’t worry about it. I made it out, we’re closer than ever, and I was only dead for about thirty seconds, and Red Daughter got eliminated in the end. Besides, I die on the DEO table all the time, it comes with the job.” Kara’s smile was tinged with melancholy.

Lena gave up on the distance, moving closer to grasp the other woman’s hand in hers, as Kara spoke again.

“Lena, I hope this isn’t too forward, but I want to ask, what brought you to my doorstep?”

Oh, shit was getting real now. Lena took several deep breaths, focusing on the small circles Kara’s thumb was making on the back of her hand. She could feel the tears building up again, and willed them to stay away. 

“Lex w—he yelled at me. In my face, and everything. Seething mad. I was fed up with his shit, and finally stood up for myself.”

“Okay. I’m not mad, but why did you work with him in the first place?”

“I’ll tell you, but please don’t interrupt.”

“Of course, I know how much you hate being interrupted.” Goddamnit, Lena almost started crying right then and there. The fact that Kara had remembered those small details about herself, actually listened to what she said, made her feel like maybe their friendship wasn’t an entire lie after all.

“When you first told me you were Supergirl, I was so hurt, because I had already heard it from Lex, right after I shot him. Two bullets in the chest. And after he told me, there was so much time to steep in my anger and hurt. By the time _you_ told me, I had drawn up a plan and was in the process of coding a program that would rewire everyone’s brains, to eliminate negative aspects of the human condition, making them peaceful and trusting. And, god—I was so angry, I was going to out you at the Pulitzer party.

And yes, I didn’t do it. Why? Because you told me. You stood in front of me and poured your heart out, and _yes_ I was mad, but that was, I felt, the smallest step toward possibly repairing our relationship.

But I manipulated you in an attempt to reach my end goal, because I wanted it to work so much more than us. I’m so sorry for that, by the way. I did not need Lex’s journals to get over him, I needed the journal because he had notes on mind control. And you know already, I wanted Myriad as a dispersion device, to put Project Non Nocere into everyone’s heads.”

“Non Nocere? That’s Latin, right? Sorry, go on.”

“Correct. It translates to ‘first, do no harm’. My intention for this project was to stop people from harming each other. After the pain I went through, I didn’t want anyone else to feel the same way.

Following the crisis, Lex came to me, with a Truth Seeker. He told me that he wanted to work with me, to make Non Nocere a success. I wanted to believe him, I wanted to believe that he was the same brother who had welcomed me into the Luthor family when I was four, who played chess with me and read me to sleep. It was naive, I know that now.

He knew from the start that it wouldn’t work. He told me it would work anyway. It was all a ploy, to get me to ‘understand’ that _his_ way was the best way. I—“ Lena broke off, as images of Lex’s shouting flashed before her. 

Gathering her wits, she drew in a deep breath before continuing. “I should’ve known Lex was not to be trusted. Now, I want to make things right, put him away.”

Kara shot a smile Lena’s way, motioning with open arms. It wasn’t as big or bright as it used to be, but Lena was comforted by it nonetheless. “Bring it in.”

Lena positively barrelled into the taller woman’s arms. It felt like home.

———

“So why did you get mad when you found out I had kryptonite?”

Kara stroked the inside of Lena’s exposed forearm as she mulled the question over. It was much darker outside now, the time had passed pretty quickly as the hot chocolate in their mugs disappeared (replaced with water) and numerous topics were addressed. They were much closer together than when they started, with Lena resting her head on the reporter’s shoulder, Kara’s arm slung around her neck.

“I don’t know, really. Still trying to figure that out for myself, honestly. I think it was because I _did_ have a god complex. I thought that I was righteous and good, that kryptonite wasn’t needed because I didn’t need to be controlled. It was misguided, and I acted and spoke in fear instead of thinking logically. It was never about _you,_ but rather the very existence of kryptonite itself that scared me.

I’ve learned my lesson with Reign and Red Daughter. I’ve seen what Reign could do if she was left undefeated. I would’ve had nothing to fear, because you would’ve built me a really cool kryptonite-proof suit, if I hadn’t been such a jerk about it. And anyway, I don’t want a repeat RedK incident. The government has a system of checks and balances to make sure no one party gets too strong; it makes sense that there is something in place to keep me in check, too.

I should’ve had more confidence in you, Lena, and for that I apologise. As long as you come up with a secure way to keep the kryptonite locked up and allow Alex and J’onn access, and make a cool suit for me, you’re free to do whatever you want with kryptonite.”

“Deal.” Kara felt before she heard Lena attempting to stifle a yawn. The events of the day at the prison and the subject matter of their conversations were finally taking a toll on the young businesswoman.

Lena glanced at the clock on the wall, and Kara saw her do a double-take when she saw the time. It seemed like Lena hadn’t registered the passing of time until just now. 

“I should go.” 

“Are you kidding? It’s nearly midnight. You’re not going anywhere, and I know you drove yourself here, so don’t even _try_ to say your driver is outside waiting. Lex is still out there, and he’s already mad at you. You’re not sleeping in an empty penthouse. We’re already in our pajamas, and plus,” Kara thumbed the skin under Lena’s eyes gently, smiling to soften the blow, “you look like you haven’t slept well for weeks.”

The other woman stuck out her tongue before dissolving into light giggles. “Hey! Rude! But you’re not wrong. I’ll stay.”

“I’ll race you!” Kara jumped off the couch and ran toward her bedroom, laughing as she heard Lena’s startled, _“_ _Kara!_ _No fair, you had a head start!_ ” 

Lena jumped into the bed, and the older blonde came up to the bedside to pull up the covers over her. As she turned away to walk back to the living room couch, Kara was stopped in her tracks by a hand on her wrist.

“Where are you going?”

“The couch? I didn’t want to overstep, or assume, or—“

“Kara, stop being a gentlewoman and get your ass over here.”

“Okay, okay, fine.” Kara moved to the other side of the bed, lying down stiff as a board, staring up at the ceiling.

_Gosh, was her ceiling always ugly popcorn? Oooh, popcorn. She had some in her pantry, should she make some? Oh no, wait, Lena was here, and she probably wanted to sleep in peace. And the popcorn would probably wake her up, because she’s a light sleeper, all those assasination attempts and attacks. Rao, how did Lena ever get any sleep? How little sleep could humans run on? What—_

“Hey.” Lena’s gentle whisper shook Kara out of her thoughts, as she turned to the younger woman. Perhaps it was the tiredness pulling at her eyes from the previous emotional breakdown and late time, but Kara could have sworn that she could see the Lena she knew in the green eyes before her. The Lena who felt comfortable enough to give hugs, laugh loud, eat unhealthy food, wear her glasses and home clothes, watch cheesy rom-coms, and talk about her personal life. 

It was this detail that prompted Kara to reach out and wrap Lena in an embrace, as the CEO mumbled against her chest. “What’s on your mind?”

“Popcorn.”

“What?” Lena’s response was half question, half laugh. 

“It’s nothing, don’t worry about it.”

“Okay, if you say so. Goodnight.”

“Night.”

———

Lena woke to a cold bed and no Kara. Rolling over to the bedside table and picking her phone, she unlocked it to see the time was 06:30. It was a bit later than when the workaholic businesswoman usually woke up, but better late than never. Looking back on the bedside table, Lena found a pair of black-rimmed glasses. 

_Leave it to Kara to have my spare glasses._ Lena chuckled to herself as she got out of bed, moving toward the living room. She had overstayed her welcome, and she needed to get to work. Grabbing her clothes she wore the day before, she changed in the bathroom. As she was putting on her shoes, the front door opened. 

Kara looked exceptionally handsome today, with a baby-blue button up tucked into hunter green slacks, held up by a brown belt that matched with her brown derbies. Peeking out from behind her light tan trench coat was a skinny black tie, slightly loosened. In one hand, the reporter was holding a tray of two coffees. 

“Leaving so soon?”

“I have to go back to mine, these clothes are from yesterday. I’ll meet up with you later today though, okay? I’ve stayed here long enough.” Now it was Lena’s turn to soften her harsh words with a soft smile, as she reached up to sweep a stray lock of hair behind the blonde’s ear.

Kara nodded, putting the tray down on the dining table. “I get it. I can swing by yours and pick you up? The Superfriends have changed meeting locations.” She turned back to Lena, arms open.

Lena took the invitation happily, stepping into the taller woman’s space. “Sounds good.” After a long moment, she moved out of the embrace to grab her coat. “I _do_ really have to go now.”

“Well, at least take a cup for the road.” Kara handed Lena a warm disposable cup, smiling softly as she did so. 

“Good morning, Kara. And thank you.” Rocking up to her tiptoes, Lena leaned close to the other woman, pressing her lips to Kara’s cheek.

“We’ll be okay.”

———  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> find me elsewhere, on [my carrd](https://fireandfolds.carrd.co/).
> 
> and check out my [glasses fic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23181505/chapters/55488211).


	2. you open your eyes into mine, and everything feels better

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 0519 fix-it fic. only the luvers parts, the rest of it was okay i guess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> alex's vigilante outfit is cooler in my fanfic because i hated it in the finale. the mask is based off of corvus' mask in the dishonoured video games, while the armour is based off of jango fett from the star wars franchise. just imagine less gaps between the armour plates and darker colours.
> 
> beta lenalvthors // @kinqsguard

———

Kara stood in front of Lena’s penthouse front door, waiting to be buzzed in by her high-tech security. The door opened to reveal a very casual Lena, dressed down in jeans and a button-up, raising an eyebrow.

“I was half expecting you at the other ‘entrance’,” the brunette quipped as she closed the door behind her.

“I’ve been landing there every single time we’ve met. I’m trying something new. And, I figured you like Kara more than Supergirl, so…”

“You’re not wrong.”

Lena insisted on driving the both of them to J’onn’s office, even though Kara had offered to fly them over. “ _You know I like to avoid flying, whenever possible.”_ The quiet hum of the engine was the only sound in the cabin, as Kara fidgeted with her fingers and tried not to pick the threads of the expensive leather car seat she was sitting in. She regretted not bringing her Rubix cube, or other fidget toy.

“Busy day?” Kara snapped her head to the left, at the sound of Lena’s voice.

“Yup. Trying to find Eve...while also trying to avoid William. Rao, I’m so tired.” Kara rubbed her eyes underneath her glasses as Lena chuckled lowly. “How was yours?”

“I actually allowed myself the luxury of sleeping more than five hours for once. As soon as I got home, I dropped in bed and slept for a few hours before getting my shit together. I read a lot, tinkered a little, and worked on other projects I had been putting off because of Non Nocere.”

“Anything you can tell me?”

“Nothing for your article, unfortunately, but maybe later as a friend.” They exchanged small smiles, before Lena directed her attention forward, as she parked in front of the Martian’s office. 

The _click_ of the engine shutting off was paired with the ratcheting of Lena’s heartbeat. 

As they sat on the leather seats of the businesswoman’s Rolls-Royce, the reporter reached over to set a calming hand on Lena’s forearm. She could feel the nervous tension in the muscle cords. “They’ll listen to me, and they’ll listen to what you have to say.” Kara spoke to Lena’s profile, as the other woman’s gaze was boring holes into the glass of her windshield.

Sighing, the younger woman finally turned to make eye contact with Kara, who felt her heart skip a beat when she saw Lena’s watery, pale-green eyes. “You’re with me, right?”

The callback to their last game night together put a lump in Kara’s throat, but she smiled as she cleared her throat to get rid of it. “Always.”

As they crossed over the threshold of the office, Lena looked around in confusion. “Where is everyone?”

“Out on a mission. I told them to meet here, they should be here soon.” Kara chanced a gentle shoulder touch again, leading her to the elevator tucked in the back of the building.

As the doors _dinged_ open, Kara dramatically gestured her hand with a flourish. “Welcome to the Tower! AKA, Superfriends HQ!”

The ever-stoic scientist raised an eyebrow as she scanned the room with a small smile. Picking up a piece of machinery from a worktable, she spoke quietly. “Thank you for letting me in, Kara. It’s been a year and I still haven’t come to terms with what I did—shot my brother and, I mean, I know I _thought_ I was protecting everyone, but it really started all this—”

“Hey, no, you were hurt and you thought you were doing good. So thank _you_ for coming to me. I know it wasn’t hard, and you were scared, but you did it anyway.” Kara moved to stand in front of Lena, covering her porcelain-white hands. “I’m _so_ glad you turned up on my doorstep yesterday, and that we talked it out. And we aren’t done talking about it either, okay? But there’s some things we need to take care of first.” Kara sighed heavily. “Right now, we have to concentrate on the threat ahead of us, and how we’re going to stop it.”

One edge of Lena’s mouth curled up slightly, exposing her dimples, and she nodded. “Understood.”

At that moment, the elevator doors slid open, to reveal Alex and Nia, as M’gann and J’onn touched down on the balcony. Immediately, Alex drew her weapon and Nia’s hands started glowing. Pointing it at Lena, Alex yelled, “Get down on the ground! Now!”

Kara quickly stepped in front of the youngest Luthor, as she motioned for everyone to stand down.“No, Alex! No!”

“You texted 911!”

“Not about _her_. She’s here to help us stop Lex, and Leviathan.”

“Oh.” Alex put her sidearm away. “Sorry about that. Go ahead, Luthor.”

———

“So Lex and Leviathan are planning something using Obsidian’s virtual reality platform?” J’onn’s deep bass cut through the ruminating room.

“And my tech likely made that possible.” This time, Lena reached out for Kara’s hand, who almost dropped it in surprise. Getting her wits together, the blonde squeezed back. 

“That must be why Rama Khan went after the DEO’s kryptonite…” 

“To keep Supergirl from interfering.” Nia picked up where Alex had trailed off. 

“Joke’s on Rama Khan and his big, dumb gladiator outfit, because I’ve already defeated him once.” Kara was _quite_ proud of this achievement, considering the odds Brainy had laid out.

J’onn admonished Kara quickly. “Don’t be rash, Kara. He’s tied to the earth, which means he can track your slightest movements. If you use your powers, even once, he will sense them, and attack.”

M’gann piped in, along the same thought process. “With all that Kryptonite at his fingertips, he could kill you.”

Kara mentally shook her head. Did they think she didn’t already know the things they were saying? Kryptonite or not, she had to do _something_. “You guys will protect me!—”

Alex quietly cut in. “Just like we protected the DEO?”

The room fell silent, as they thought about the crumbled debris, all that remained of the site.

Finally, Lena spoke up. “It’s not checkmate. Not yet. I haven’t made Kara an anti-Kryptonite suit in this world, but I could. Just need to get you safely to my lab.” The hand holding Kara’s squeezed again, as Lena’s thumb rubbed small circles on the back of her hand.

Alex furrowed her brow as she moved closer to Kara and Lena. “Your lab is across the city, and Kara can’t use her powers.” 

“We _could_ get her there. If we had the right distraction.” J’onn spoke to Alex, as he stepped forward to match her position. 

“Or, the right decoys.” M’gann winked at J’onn, who groaned as he realised what the White Martian was thinking.

“No, no, no way, absolutely not. I can tell those pants will chafe.”

———

“Ugh! I was right.” Logically, Kara knew that it was _J’onn_ , but hearing his voice coming out of...well, _her_ mouth was always disconcerting in the beginning. The whole group was in Kara’s apartment now, as she had extra versions of her suit there. M’gann and J’onn had changed into her and donned the suits.

M’gann came up next to J’onn, examining her suit in the mirror the other Martian was in front of. “I quite like it.”

“This is just like the beginning of Deathly Hallows.” Nia stood next to Kara, watching everything unfold with perhaps too big of a smile on her face. _Hufflepuff._

“Moody and Hedwig died.” Kara was worried now. Rao, this better not end the same way that chapter of _Harry Potter_ did.

M’gann spoke up. “You lost comrades in battle? My condolences.”

“No, it’s...never mind.” Alex and Nia, standing beside Kara, all tried to explain, but eventually waved it off. There were more pressing issues to worry about, after all.

J’onn calmly handed out orders. “Dreamer and I will draw Rama Khan out in Courtney Park. M’gann, Alex, you move across the rooftops to cover us.”

Lena turned to Kara. “While they’re distracting Leviathan, you and I will make our way to Luthorcorp.” Did she always look that pretty when she was serious? Perhaps it was the sun behind her, but Lena looked positively _angelic._ Kara had to bite back a smile, because Alex was looking between them strangely. 

“Copy that, J’onn.” Alex grabbed Kara’s shoulder, leading her to her bedroom, separated from the living room by a curtain. “Come here, I have to show you something.” 

“Alex, wh—“

“Okay, stay right there.” Alex pressed a button on her wrist, and suddenly, her appearance started to change. Her flannel and jeans morphed into a thick, but flexible jumpsuit made of dark black-and blue fabric, with panels of armour everywhere except the joints. A hood and a helmet formed next, made out of the same material as the jumpsuit and armour. Sturdy boots and a gun slung on her shoulder completed the look. 

“AHH, oh my Rao!” 

“Do you like it? J’onn made it for me.” Alex brought her hand up, placing her fingers on the edge of the mask, which expanded slightly away from her face with a quiet _whir,_ allowing the older Danvers sister to remove it easily.

The curtain drew back, and everyone else’s worried faces came into view. 

“She looks great!” Kara was so excited _for_ Alex. She looked like a total badass. The new outfit hid her identity, but allowed her to move freely. Getting a new super suit was always fun.

“Oh, it was a scream of delight. Thank H’ronmeer.” J’onn rolled his eyes at Nia, who was still standing with her mouth open, flabbergasted.

“Well, we should probably get going.” Kara looked around at everyone, as she made her way to stand next to Lena. “Stay safe out there.”

———

As Lena and Kara stepped out of the apartment building, the younger woman turned to the blonde.

“We won’t be able to take my car downtown. How about we fly on a bus?”

Kara groaned and rolled her eyes. “Still can't believe I said that. But agreed. Guess I shouldn't be surprised you remembered that.”

"No, you really shouldn't."

As they stood at the stop, Lena could feel the chill seeping through her clothes, into her skin. She shivered slightly, trying to shake it off. Normally, she would wear a blazer under the coat and over her collared shirt, but today she was distracted by a _certain_ handsome blonde and her _damn_ skinny tie. 

“Cold?”

“No.” Lena was lying through her chattering teeth, but she would rather freeze before she would admit to making a mistake.

“You know, your heart rate increases _very_ slightly when you lie. You really want to stick with that answer?”

“Fine, yes. I’m a bit cold.” 

Kara snorted as she opened up her arms, gesturing to Lena. “C’mere.”

Lena hesitantly stepped into the reporter’s open arms, and was instantly met with warmth. Literally. There was a warmth emanating from Kara’s skin, like the disposable hand warmers she used at the Luthor cabin when she was younger. Without thinking, she opened her mouth and said the first thing that came to her mind. “You’re hot.”

This time, Lena felt before she heard the rumble of the other woman’s laughter and snorting. 

“Thank you.”

“You know what I meant.” Against her own will, her body snuggled closer to Kara’s warmth.

“Kryptonians have a higher body temperature than normal humans. I’m surprised you didn’t figure this out last night.”

“Oh, shut up. I was too tired to think.”

Kara was saved from replying by the bus pulling up with a loud _hiss_. As they filed onto the bus, Lena took the lead, finding a couple vacant seats next to each other. They sat in silence, shoulders brushing.

Thunder rolled outside, and Lena could feel the woman next to her tense up with each clap. Kara pulled out her Rubix cube, and started pressing the corners with the heels of her hands. Remembering something from Lex’s notes on Kryptonians that she had read earlier, she quickly surmised what was happening. Kara’s extra-sensitive hearing was picking up the thunder more than a normal human would. Similar to a microphone receiving too loud a sound, she was receiving feedback. 

“Kar?” Lena carefully took the metallic cube out of Kara’s hands, putting it back into the reporter’s coat pocket. Then, she dug into her own coat pocket, feeling around for two things. Past the leather band of the Super watch she had stolen back from Lex at the prison, she found what she was looking for. Pulling out a slim, shiny ring and a pair of earplugs, Lena held out her hand, silently asking the other woman for hers.

“Fidget ring, made of Nth metal. I whipped it up this morning, after I noticed the Rubix cube yesterday. Like most fidget rings, it spins. Unlike most fidget rings, it spins _silently_ , so you don’t annoy others around you. This has the smoothest spin you’ll ever see.”

As Lena demonstrated the smooth spin, she continued. “I made it black and minimalist, because I read on the internet that asexuals wear simple black rings on their right middle fingers to signify their asexuality.”

“And this,” she presented the other item in her hand, “is a pair of Kryptonian-grade earplugs. When sounds get too much for you, these will help bring them down to a manageable, more human level.”

The other woman quickly stuffed the plugs into her ears, and immediately her shoulders dropped their tension. Shooting a small grin at Lena, Kara slowly wrapped her in a sideways hug. 

“Thanks.” The reporter leaned her head on Lena’s shoulder, like Lena had done the night before on Kara’s. 

“Anytime.” And Lena meant it, had always meant it. As she stroked the lapel of the other woman’s coat, she thought back to a couple years ago, when Sam was Reign and Supe- _Kara_ had broken her trust over the kryptonite. Even though their relationship had been rocky, she had made the kryptonite shield and suit. A part of her knew that there was a good reason behind Supergirl’s reaction, even if it was misdirected and, frankly, a shitty move on the superhero’s part. 

She was just glad they were past that, and working on their...relationship. Realistically, they should probably work towards being friends first, but Lena was painfully in love with the dorky reporter, ever since she stepped into her office with Clark Kent.

Her love for Kara was the reason why the Supergirl secret hurt _that_ much more. But it was also the reason why she was willing to let Kara back in her life, to entrust her patched-up heart in the other woman’s warm, strong hands.

The bus _hissed_ to a stop again, and Lena led the worried blonde out. As their feet touched the sidewalk, a rather bright bold of lightning tore through the sky. Luckily, Kara still had the earplugs in, but she still jumped as she stared upwards with a crinkle in her brow.

Lena grabbed the taller woman’s hand, pulling her toward the L-Corp building. “Kara, come on. We’ve gotta go.”

———

After swiping past security and riding the elevator down, both women shucked off their coats. As Lena got to work, Kara’s mind went elsewhere as she paced the underground lab. She was worried about Alex, Nia, J’onn, and M’gann, not knowing what was going on. Walking up to where the younger woman was tapping on a tablet, she silently asked for a progress update while fidgeting with her ring.

“The suit won’t be ready for at least another few hours, but I’m doing everything in my power to speed it along.”

Slinging an arm around Lena while looking at the suit being built, Kara nodded. “I know. Thank you. Sorry, I’m not mad at you, more at this whole situation. I should be out there.”

At that moment, Alex walked in. “Hey.”

Kara practically ran across the lab to Alex, scanning the older Danvers sister for injuries. “What happened?”

“It’s not just Rama Khan out there; there’s three of them. Each with a different element-bending power.”

Lena looked up from her tablet. “Where are the others?”

Alex sucked in a deep breath, before answering. “J’onn was injured. M’gann and Dreamer took him back to the Tower.”

This was exactly what Kara had feared would happen. “I should have been there, fighting alongside you, I’m sorry—”

“Kara, it’s okay. We all still have our ears.” The redhead reached out with a ghost of a smile, placing a comforting hand on Kara’s shoulder. 

Alex’s phone went off, and she walked away from the two women to take it. Evidently, she forgot that Kara had super-hearing, and could hear Alex even if she was on the other side of the world.

“Kelly, hey.”

“Oh, thank God I got you. William texted me last night, that he was going after Eve Tessmacher. I haven’t been able to reach him since.” 

Kara couldn’t help but interrupt. “William went after Eve alone?” She knew he was bone-headed and arrogant, but she didn’t think he was _that_ stupid.

“No super-hearings!”

“Sorry.” She wasn’t.

“Eve Tessmacher? She’s back?” Lena’s attention was piqued at the mention of her backstabbing secretary-turned AI assistant. Kara could see the slight shake in the dark-haired woman’s fingers, hear it in her voice. There was no telling what the Eve of this new multiverse was mixed up in. 

Alex shot a frustrated glance at the blonde, before turning back to the phone. “Look, I’ll get to you as soon as I can. Love you.”

“If this Eve is working with Lex, William has no idea the danger he is in. I—Alex, I have to do something. I can’t just sit here. I have to help him, somehow. He’s going to get his dumb butt killed!”

“Okay, listen to me. Stop. I know how hard it is for you to sit on the sidelines. But Kelly and I, we will handle this. We will access Eve’s files at Obsidian North and we’ll see what she’s up to. And if she _has_ gotten to William, hey. We will find him. You just need to stay safe until Lena finishes your suit.”

Kara scoffed quietly, but acquiesced. “Okay, all right, fine. But please, be careful.”

“Aw, you know me.”

“Yeah, exactly, that’s what I’m worried about.”

“Oh, cut me some slack!” Alex pulled Kara in for a hug, who pressed her nose into the other woman’s shoulder, breathing in the dust and soot. 

“I’ll be in and out, okay?” Pulling away from the blonde, Alex walked briskly out of the lab, clicking her helmet back on as she went.

———

“These programs should be able to crack Eve’s cipher in minutes.” The information Kelly and Alex sent over had been immediately snagged by Lena’s quick hands, and entered into her computer.

“Talk about history repeating itself. Tracking Lex down through Eve—it’s just like Kaznia.”

At the mention of _Kaznia_ , Kara sighed heavily as she pulled up a chair next to the scientist.

“That trip to Kaznia was somehow the best and worst day of my life. It was the best because I got to spend it with you,” she nudged Lena’s shoulder, earning a small smile, “but also the worst because I felt like utter _crap_ , keeping the secret from you. But at the time, I felt like I had to.

You know, I’ve only told three people, since coming to Earth, about the Supergirl thing. Winn was the first person I told, when I first started out, the day after I saved Alex’s plane. Alex was _not_ happy that I had used my powers, and I just needed _someone_ to be happy for me. 

The second was Lucy, because I needed her help to save Alex and J’onn. And the third was Nia, because she needed to know that I related to her, that she wasn’t alone. Everyone else I know either figured it out on their own, was told by someone else, or was read-in because of some important mission. 

I’ve never had the real luxury of telling a loved one my secret...just because. Flippantly. And that’s because I can’t just _do_ that. It puts people at risk.”

Kara gently grabbed Lena’s hand as she continued. “I know I talked about this yesterday, but I really do want to make sure you understand. This is bigger than Lex, bigger than Lillian—by the way Lillian told me once you found out about my secret, you’d hate me, did you know that? It’s about Nia, and Alex, and all the other people I love— _that includes you_ —that are put at risk _every day_ for simply associating with me. And yeah, now that I’m thinking about it, it was _really dumb_ , keeping the secret from you, because you were associating with Supergirl whether or not you knew it was me, and you were in secret all the time anyway. But I wasn’t thinking clearly, and you know what? I understand why you reacted the way you did. Even if it hurt me. 

You pretended to be my friend for weeks. Just so you could manipulate me. You stole from me. You convinced me to steal for you. And then…” Kara ran a hand through her hair, as she caught her breath. “You even...used kryptonite on me. But I get it, and I’ve forgiven you. It’s in the past.

I’ve made a lot of mistakes with us, but I promise I only meant well. I only hope you can forgive me. I’m so sorry.”

Kara had been staring into the distance, but a hand on her face brought her back to the woman sitting next to her. 

Lena swiped under her eye with a thumb, keeping her hand on the reporter’s cheek. “You were crying.”

Kara chuckled wryly as she shook her head. “Thanks.” Removing her glasses, she leaned further into the hand and rubbed her eyes. Lena’s hand was warm and comforting, and it almost made her break down.

As Lena opened her mouth to reply, the monitor in front of them chimed. 

“It’s Eve’s location.”

“I’m going.” Kara stood and moved to walk out of the lab, but was stopped by Lena’s hand on her forearm.

“No, Kara, your suit isn’t ready yet.”

“I don’t care. Protecting people is what I do. You should know that by now.”

Lena looked at Kara for a moment, before smiling lopsidedly. “Then I’m going with you.”

———

“Eve, please.” William held his hand out, an attempt at a conciliatory gesture. 

“I really am so sorry.” As Kara and Lena exited the portal, Eve shot the chained William. Kara rushed to block the rest of the bullets, whipping the gun out of Eve’s hand, before removing the handcuff on William’s wrist. Lena picked up the gun, keeping it trained on her ex-assistant.

“It’s okay, I’ve got you.” Quickly, Kara ripped open the reporter’s button-up, to get a better visual on his wound. “Okay. The bullet went through and through but we still need to get you to a hospital.”

Lena cut in. “No, no, no, he’s losing too much blood. There’s no time.”

Kara turned back to William. “Okay, I can cauterize it, but it’s gonna hurt.”

William nodded with difficulty, speaking through gritted teeth. “Do it, do it!”

“All right.”

“Augh! Don’t do it!”

“Too late, too late, it’s done. You okay?”

“Yes, it just hurt.”

“All right, what happened here?”

“I was following a lead, got jumped. Reporting 101. If you get kidnapped, you must be on the right track. Something Kara Danvers likes to say. She was working the case with me, I need to make sure she is all right—”

Lena cut in again. “Kara is fine. I spoke to her, she’s in a safe place.” Kara looked behind her, making eye contact with the youngest Luthor. The edge of Lena’s lip curled up slightly, as she gave her an imperceptible nod. 

Before Kara could mouth back a _thank you_ , the air tingled with electricity. A blast blew through the warehouse, knocking Eve into a pillar and out cold.

Kara moved forward, blocking the Leviathan goons’ path. “Get William and Eve out of here. I’ll deal with this.”

“Are you mad? They’ve got kryptonite.”

“Well, then you’d better get that suit here fast.”

Lena pulled out her phone. “It’s already on its way.” Putting her phone away, she quickly dropped a kiss on Kara’s cheek before turning away to help William up. “And I’ll call for backup.”

As Kara made her way closer to her opposition, she winced. The kryptonite they had with them was already starting to affect her. Her only hope was stalling for time and not getting hit, so that Lena’s suit could come in time.

Across the floor, Rama Khan’s bass voice boomed. “Kill her.” 

Kara managed to dodge the first blast, but she wasn’t so lucky with the second. As she slid on a table, she got hit, leaving her sprawled on the floor. But before she could lose hope, she saw something _whirring_ in the air, out of the corner of her eye. Lena had done it again—saved her from certain death. Kara felt a surge of pride run through her.

As the suit formed over her and she stood up again, Nia and M’gann touched down.

“Did someone call for backup?”

“Now it’s a fair fight!” Kara nodded in appreciation.

“Couldn’t let you have all the fun.”

“Can’t believe you left to play earth, wind, and fire without us.”

Kara chuckled and snorted at the women’s antics as she squared up for a sonic boom clap. The sound wave reverberated throughout the room, pushing the opposition back. 

The only thing left of the villains were piles of glowing dust and rubble. 

“They’re...they’re gone. the explosion killed them.”

Kara had spoken too soon. They reformed, with a burst of energy. 

“We have to get out of here. Now!”

M’gann grabbed Nia and phased out of the warehouse, as Kara sped out.

———

“...And that’s when their bodies started to reform like out of a horror movie.” Nia, ever the vigilant journalist, recounted the story with great detail.

“Yeah, but that means…”

“They’re indestructible.” Kelly picked up on Alex’s thread of thought, as she leaned her head on the older Danvers woman’s shoulder. 

“Immortal,” M’gann agreed.

Kara sighed. “This isn’t about defeating them anymore. They _want_ us to fight until we drop, so they can distract us from whatever Lex is planning.”

“Do we even know what that is?” Lena reached out, grabbing Kara’s hand, giving it a small squeeze.

Kara raised Lena’s hand to her lips, before walking towards Eve. “I’m gonna go find out.”

———

“There’s nearly a billion people logged into the Unity Fest already.” Kelly walked back into the lab, stopping at the rough circle the other Superfriends had created, completing it. 

“Can we shut down the system?” “Or destroy it somehow?” Alex and M’gann both asked.

“No. The Luthor power core has an indestructible fail safe.”

“So, you’re saying we need to convince potentially billions of people to log out of a virtual reality paradise of their own free will.” Nia turned to Kara. “Hope you’ve got one of those classic hope speeches handy.”

Kara scoffed. “I mean, I’ve done it before but never on this level.”

“Oh, if anyone can do it, it’s you—” Alex and Lena spoke in tandem, trailing off as they realised. Alex glanced over at the dark-haired woman, whispering _jinx_ as Lena smiled slightly at the floor.

Kara felt her stomach flutter. The two people she loved most, who knew her best, making up right in front of her. It was what she always wanted. “All right, so what do we do about Leviathan?”

“We’ll fight till our last breath.” J’onn entered the room, looking as new as ever.

“J’onn, are you sure?” M’gann rushed to his side, worried.

“With you by my side, one hundred percent.”

“Well, we’ll need to do _something_ to draw Leviathan out.”

J’onn nodded at Nia. “I’ll send them a message.”

“What are you going to say?”

“Something to get their attention.”

———

Kara watched as Lena picked up the lens case off the workbench, making her way to where she was seated. “Kelly opened the back door into the festival. It should help protect you from the kill switch.”

“Well, hopefully we can get everyone out before Lex and Gemma hit it.”

“You will.”

Kara looked at Lena as she picked up the lenses, taking in the relaxed stance and soft smile on the businesswoman’s face. A part of her wondered if Kelly’s back door wouldn’t work, if the kill switch was hit and she wouldn’t come out of Obsidian’s virtual reality. If Lena, _this_ Lena, was the last person she saw before going under, Kara was the luckiest Krptonian in the multiverse. 

“Let’s do this.” Taking a deep, steadying breath, swiping the lenses into her eyes.

As she entered the world, Kara gasped as she saw the layout in front of her. She was floating in space, high above the Earth. A large ring of people circled the planet, shoulder-to-shoulder. “Wow. This is amazing. I’ve never seen anything like this. No wonder so many people signed up.”

“Everyone, listen to me. There’s something wrong with the program. You need to end the simulation, now.”

An old woman spoke, her eyes focused elsewhere.“What are you talking about? There’s no one in here but my late husband. It’s so good to hear his voice.”

“Hey. Hey, kid. Kid, can you hear me? You need to disengage from the program!”

“Leave me alone! My mom is back. I missed her.”

“It’s...it’s not working. There are too many people, they feel connected to their loved ones. It’s spiritual, I have no idea how to break through to them.” Kara felt so frustrated. How could she get through to all the users?

“I think I can give you a way to talk to everyone at once.” Lena typed a command into the program. “Try now.”

Multiple copies of Kara appeared in front of each user, mirroring Kara’s every movement.

“I need you all to listen to me. You’re in danger.”

———

Lena looked at the vitals on the computer screen again, letting out a relieved breath when she saw they were normal. Then, she heard it. To her left, quiet footsteps. And Kara and her were the only people down here. Turning, she found Andrea Rojas, standing in her Acrata costume, holding a chunk of kryptonite. 

“Andrea!” Quickly, Lena moved to stand in front of Kara, blocking Andrea’s path. “The medallion. You’ve been activated.”

“If I don’t kill Supergirl, they’ll kill my father.”

_“I know it can be addictive, to live in a perfect place where nothing hurts. But that’s not reality.”_

“Killing for them...going down this path, it won’t keep him safe.” Lena fought to remain calm, despite the _very large_ green, glowing rock in her ex-best friend’s hand. The only thing that could kill Kara, was only mere meters away from the vulnerable woman. 

“How do you know?” Andrea leveled the kryptonite at Lena, edging closer.

“Because I’ve been down it before.” Flashes of memories sparked, of long nights in the very lab they were standing in. Sleepless nights, fueled by pure spite and ambition, trying to finish Project Non Nocere. Shattering the picture frame of her and Kara. Drinking enough liquor to lead her to an early grave. 

_“We all get hurt. But it’s only by going through that pain that we’re able to appreciate the good. Pain is what helps us grow. Without it, we’d never be able to- to evolve, to overcome. To forgive.”_

“I’ve done terrible things to protect myself and the people I love. But it has never kept me safe from pain. It’s just brought me a new kind of misery. And I moved further and further away from the person I was, until one day I woke up and I was utterly alone.” 

Lena thought of Kara’s warm smiles, and even warmer hugs. Movie nights at each other’s places. Lunch dates that were definitely _dates,_ neither of them willing to admit it. Touches and glances that lingered too long; light, witty banter. Her rose-tinted glasses, shattered by Lex.

_“Each of us came here because we’re afraid. I’m afraid of getting hurt, just like you. And I do everything I can to escape pain, just like you. But the cost of escape is too great.”_

“Years ago, we made a promise to each other. You jump, I jump.” Lena carefully walked closer to Andrea as she spoke. “If you choose to go down this path...I will be there.”

Andrea thrust the kryptonite under her chin, and Lena could feel the tip brushing her throat. She stood her ground. If this is where she died, so be it. 

“If you want to get to Supergirl, you’re gonna have to go through me.”

_“We have to wake up now. We need to end the simulation, once and for all. I believe in you.”_

Lena whispered, a tear running down her cheek. “I believe in you.”

Andrea finally broke down, hiccuping through sobs as she crumpled inwards on herself.

“Hey, it’s okay, it’s okay.” Lena came closer to the crying woman, gently taking the kryptonite out of her hand. She brought Andrea’s head to her shoulder. “It’s okay.”

—

“End simulation.” The kid Kara had been talking to disappeared.

“End simulation.” Next to leave was the older woman.

“End simulation.” One by one, everyone ended their simulation. 

Kara waited until everyone left, scanning the area for stragglers. Satisfied that everyone was out, she also logged out. “End simulation.”

As she removed the lenses and came back to reality, Kara found Andrea and Lena locked into a tight embrace. 

“Lena?”

“Don’t come any closer, Supergirl. I’ve got kryptonite in my hand. I’m just going to put it away, over there,” Lena pointed to a workbench on the other side of the lab, “but can you bring Andrea back to her place? The watch is next to the computer.”

“Got it.” Kara grabbed the watch as she stood from the chair, holding the trembling woman steady. “Ms. Rojas, may I escort you home?”

When she received a nod, Kara slipped the watch into Andrea’s hand. “Think of where you want and press the button, please.”

The portal opened up, and they walked through to find a large penthouse suite on the other side. It some respects, it was similar to Lena’s. Large spaces; minimalist, modern furniture; windows _everywhere_ ; and a balcony. Andrea’s personal tastes showed in the color scheme and choices of fixtures—Mediterranian and South American roots were evident. Kara didn’t want to encroach on the businesswoman’s privacy, so she turned to take back the watch from Andrea.

“Ms. Rojas, will you be okay here, alone?”

A quick nod, and Kara pressed the button on the watch to return to Lena’s lab. “Good night, Ms. Rojas.”

Stepping through the portal, she found Lena standing in front of her computer, looking at the Obsidian VR statistics. As the dark-haired woman heard her approach, she turned to Kara with a slight smile tugging at her lips.

“I never thought I’d see the day. Obsidian Platinum, the most popular VR platform ever created.” Lena chuckled wryly, sliding into the side-hug that the older woman was offering.

“And not a single person is using it.” Kara wrapped her hand around Lena’s waist. As she looked to her left, she found Lena staring at her with a familiar expression. It was one she had seen before, before Crisis, before Lex put a wrench in their friendship. It put hope in her heart, that maybe her feelings weren’t as one-sided as she originally thought. Alex was right; she was a bit oblivious when it came to things like _love_ , but Kara could hardly help it. Love wasn’t really something that was talked about on Krypton, and even if it was, she had to leave the planet at a rather young age. But as the human saying goes, ‘hindsight is 20/20’. And looking back at her times with Lena, Kara found more signs of love that she could’ve hoped for—from both Lena _and_ herself.

Before Kara could ask something stupid, like _“Why are you looking at me like that?”_ , she was saved by Kelly speaking.

“Alex called—Leviathan has disappeared.” Kelly and Eve walked towards where the two women were standing in front of the computer.

Eve smiled at Kara gratefully. “You did what you said you would.”

“Almost. I still have one promise left to keep.”

———

Kara watched Eve and her mother reuniting, feeling a pang of envy and sadness. The death of her planet, her family, her _mother_ , for the second time, had hit her hard. Casting a look around the lab, she felt it reasonable to make her exit. 

On the rooftop of her apartment building, Kara slipped her glasses back on. As she leaned on the low brick wall and looked up at the stars with a heavy sigh, the familiar sound of a portal opening up came from her right. The reporter turned, surprised to find Lena walking towards her.

“You okay?” Coming up beside the taller woman, Lena inclined her head against Kara’s shoulder as she asked.

“Mhm.” Kara hummed after a couple seconds of contemplation, wrapping her arm around Lena. 

“Liar.”

“Okay, fiiine. I’m just a bit...jealous of Eve.”

“I’m sorry, Kar.” One of the things Kara loved about Lena was that the logical genius always understood how she felt, sometimes even more than herself. The youngest Luthor was perceptive and observant, with seemingly an eye for all of Kara’s tics.

They kept looking at the twinkling lights above them, until Kara noticed the other woman was shivering slightly. Silently, she led them to the stairs, back down to her apartment.

As they walked down the hallway in lockstep, Lena cleared her throat.

“In the last world, Eve betrayed us. We may never know what was driving her, but...I do know what was driving you. You didn’t want to tell me who you really were because you didn’t want me to get hurt.” Kara ducked her head. She wanted to correct Lena, but she knew better than to do it in the middle of her thought.

“But I did get hurt. And I did what I always do when people hurt me. I...built a wall and I suffocated behind it. Makes it very difficult to see things from other people’s point of view.” Lena wasn’t wrong about her methods of emotional protection, and Kara had to chuckle at that.

“But I see yours now. And I am very sorry it took me so long.”

Kara shook her head, as she unlocked her door. “You know, I never thought I’d say this, but you’re wrong about something, Lee. At least partially. I know I told you yesterday that I didn’t tell you about the secret because I wanted to protect you, and that’s still true. But I was also selfishly trying to protect myself, from the potential reaction you would have, once you knew.

I was scared. But once I had built up my courage, the chicken I was, it turned out that you had already heard it from Lex. To nobody’s fault _but my own_ , you reacted poorly. I mean, what was I supposed to expect? I’ve been friends with you for years, and I withheld pretty important information. 

Instead of fighting for you, for _us_ , I did the exact opposite. I pushed you away, I called you a villain, I left you alone when you needed to be with someone, more than ever. And I kept waiting for you to let me down. But at every turn you came through—building that suit, protecting my identity, supporting me.

We’ve done enough apologising for many lifetimes across many multiverses, I think. So I’m not going to do that anymore. What I will do, however, is take responsibility for my faults and inaction. I wasn’t by your side when I should have been, but I can promise I will be in the future.”

Kara grabbed Lena’s hand, placing it over her heart. “I swear to Rao, you got me, Lee. I’m in your corner.”

The younger woman focused on her hand laying on top of the light blue fabric, before stepping back as she took in a deep breath. “Okay. What now?”

“Well, there’s still one bad guy left to catch.”

“Let’s go take my brother down, then.” Lena extended her hand.

Kara took it, but used their joined hands to pull Lena closer to her. “Oh, screw that. C’mere, bring it in.”

As she brought her arms around Lena, the other woman whispered in her ear. “Thank you, Kar. I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too, Lee.” They stood hugging _way_ longer than friends were supposed to be, but neither of them cared. They had been through the apocalypse _and_ the world ending, and as far as Kara was concerned, they were making up for lost time. 

Eventually, they broke apart, smiling dopily at each other. Kara leaned forward, dropping a light kiss on Lena’s forehead. “Movie night?”

“Sounds like a plan.”

———  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> find me elsewhere, on [my carrd](https://fireandfolds.carrd.co/).
> 
> and check out my [glasses fic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23181505/chapters/55488211).


End file.
